Foot sliding prevention product

ABSTRACT

A foot sliding prevention product utilizes a unitary pad shaped to conform with the tapered toe section of a shoe, particularly a women&#39;s high heel shoe. The pad is sized to extend from the toe section of the shoe to an area short of the shoe&#39;s arch section. An arcuate shaped ridge member extends from one side of the pad to the other side. The ridge member is configured to be positioned within the toe joints of the wearer to prevent the foot from sliding down and forward in the shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A situation which is routinely experienced by individuals who wearheeled footwear, especially women wearing high-heel shoes, is that thewearer's foot has a tendency to slide down and forward, toward the toesection of the shoe. Prolonged walking in these shoes causes variousfoot problems ranging from discomfort resulting from the toes beingsqueezed in the front of the shoe, to more serious injuries includingpainful calluses and even permanent foot disfigurement and disabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a productwhich addresses and prevents the problems and injuries associated withthe sliding movement of a wearer's foot in a shoe.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a foot slidingprevention product which can simply and easily be placed into andutilized in virtually any shoe, especially in high-heel shoes.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a footsliding prevention product which is lightweight, economical tomanufacture, and is disposable and replaceable if necessary.

These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, afoot sliding prevention product comprising a unitary pad shaped toconform with the tapered toe section of a shoe, particularly a women'shigh heel shoe. The pad is sized to extend from the toe section of theshoe to an area short of the shoe's arch section. An arcuate shapedridge member extends from one side of the pad to the other side. Theridge member is configured to be positioned within the toe joints of thewearer to prevent the foot from sliding down and forward in the shoe.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use,together with additional features and advantages thereof, are bestunderstood upon review of the following detailed description withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of the foot sliding preventionproduct of the present invention prior to placement in a shoe.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe with the product of thepresent invention in place and with a wearer's foot in the shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foot slippage prevention product of the present invention comprisesunitary pad 2 having front section 4 which tapers rearward towards widerback section 6. Thus, pad 2 is shaped to conform with the tapered toesection 32 of a shoe 30, especially a woman's high heel shoe, and it issized to extend from the toe section to an area just short of archsection 34 of the shoe.

Ridge member 8 is arcuate or curved shaped and extends from one side ofpad 2 to the other side of the pad. The surface of ridge member 8 isrounded, as best seen in FIG. 2. The ridge member itself can be locateddirectly on the top surface of pad 2 or formed as part of the pad, asshown in the FIGS.

Pad 2 is fabricated of a cushiony material, similar to that which iscommonly utilized in insertable shoe insoles. Ridge member 8 can beconstructed of the same material or a more rigid material like plasticor equivalent hard material.

The bottom surface of pad 2 is coated with a layer of adhesive 10 whichis protected by removeable covering 12. Covering 12 can be coated paperor equivalent material.

In use, covering 12 is removed from adhesive layer 10. Pad 2 is theninserted into toe section 32 of shoe 30 and attached to the interiorbottom of the shoe. Foot 40 of the wearer is inserted into shoe 30 andis positioned such that ridge member 8 is positioned within toe joints42 of the foot. Consequently, as the wearer walks, her foot 40 will beprevented from sliding down and/or forward towards toe section 32 byridge member 8. The toes will thereby be protected from irritation,calluses, or other foot injury caused by their being squeezed againstthe front of the shoe 30.

Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed indetail in order to make the invention clear in at least one formthereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention asdisclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details asdisclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. A foot slippage prevention product to be placed on the interiorbottom and within the toe section of a shoe, said product comprising: aunitary pad shaped to conform with the tapered toe section of a shoe andsized to extend from the toe section to an area short of the archsection of the shoe, said pad comprising a curved ridge extending fromone side of the pad to the other side of the pad, whereby placement ofthe pad into the tapered section of the shoe and onto the sole of theshoe results in the ridge entering the toe joints of a wearer's foot,thus preventing the foot from slipping in the shoe.
 2. The product as inclaim 1 wherein the pad has a top surface and a bottom surface, theridge being located on the top surface.
 3. The product as in claim 2wherein the bottom surface of the pad comprises adhesive means forattaching the pad to the interior bottom of the shoe.
 4. The product asin claim 3 further comprising a removable covering to protect theadhesive means until the pad is placed into the shoe.
 5. The product asin claim 1 wherein the ridge has a rounded outer surface,
 6. A footslippage preventive product to be placed on the interior bottom of andwithin the toe section of a shoe, said product comprising: a unitary padhaving a front section tapering rearward towards a back section which iswider than the front section, said pad being shaped to conform with thetapered toe section of a shoe and sized to extend from the toe sectionto an area short of the arch section of the shoe, said pad furthercomprising ridge means for preventing the foot of a wearer of the shoefrom slipping within the shoe, said curved ridge extending from one sideof the pad to the other side of the pad.
 7. The product as in claim 6wherein the ridge means comprises a ridge element having a rounded outersurface.
 8. The product as in claim 6 wherein the pad has a top surfaceand a bottom surface, the ridge means being located on the top surface.9. The product as in claim 8 wherein the bottom surface of the padcomprises adhesive means for attaching the pad to the interior bottom ofthe shoe.
 10. The product as in claim 9 comprising removeable coveringmeans for pro the adhesive means until the pad is placed into the shoe.